May 11, 2026Updated May 12, 2026, 9:08 a.m. ET
LOS ANGELES — “American Idol” has named its newest winner.
Going into the May 11 finale, Keyla Richardson, Jordan McCullough and Hannah Harper were the Top 3 finalists vying to win Season 24. After a three-hour episode featuring a performance by judges Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan and a starry lineup of guest performers including Nelly, Brad Paisley, Lee Ann Womack and Jason Mraz, the ABC show unveiled its 2026 winner.
Ryan Seacrest delivered the results from the fan vote and announced Hannah won this season of “American Idol.” According to the show, she is the first female country artist to win since Underwood.
Jordan was the runner-up, coming in second. Keyla was third.
“I’m a puddle right now,” Hannah tells USA TODAY an hour after wept on stage with star-shaped confetti in her hair and on her lashes. “All the sacrifices have been made [by my family] to make this happen. Had it not been for my husband … that poor man has sacrificed his entire life.”
“Every part of normalcy he had – to uproot life and bring our whole family here and live out of a hotel for two months – just so I could do this meant everything to me. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay him for that,” she continues. “He’s not the only one; my parents also. I just feel like my village is growing now.”
After a much needed rest “for, like, two weeks,” Hannah says she’s looking forward to going on the road and performing in “smaller, intimate settings” on tour through the fall.
Lionel Richie reveals career advice he shared with Hannah Harper
With his ninth season under his belt, “Papa Richie” says he is “very satisfied with his kids.” He also reveals the advice he doled out to Hannah as she embarks on her career as a full-time musician.
“As I told Hannah, enjoy the moment because right now the real work will start,” he says. “Enjoy this right now because every time they say, ‘Here’s your hit record,’ the next question is: ‘What do you have next?’ And ‘Here’s your fabulous tour! [But] what do you have next?’
“We understand what it takes to get to where we are,” he continues, referring to himself, Bryan and Underwood. “And it’s not an easy ride. There’s no more praises coming your way unless you create that praise.”
Who won ‘American Idol’ 2026? Meet Hannah Harper
Willow Springs, Missouri, singer Hannah Harper came out the gate strong with an original song about postpartum depression, “String Cheese,” which reportedly skyrocketed in social media views to become one of the show’s most-watched videos.
“Knowing that I could connect with other women who were feeling the same as me – women and men, really – that meant everything to me,” she tells USA TODAY. “And that I had the opportunity to share my ministry, basically, and my relationship with the Lord, all of those things are precious to me. So every step of the way has been awesome.”
The 25-year-old mom of three was a favorite of Underwood’s, with the “Before He Cheats” singer declaring, “You might be my favorite person that’s walked through those doors in the past three days. You’re gorgeous. You look famous already.”
In Episode 8, Underwood – who won Season 4 of the show – drew parallels between herself and Hannah, saying, “You remind me of myself when I was on the show.”
‘American Idol’ journeys ended for Keyla Richardson, Jordan McCullough
Keyla of Pensacola, Florida, was one of the competition’s frontrunners after blowing judges away by singing Pink’s “Glitter in the Air” during her audition, which aired in the Season 24 premiere.
Keyla, a music teacher and mom to 9-year-old son Drew, grew up singing in the church. At 29, she was in her last year of eligibility for “Idol,” and she figured she’d “give it one more try.”
Following her audition, Bryan emotionally told her, “You have a voice that will make people stop in their tracks. Gosh I’ve got snot going on.”
She continued to make the judges emotional and excited throughout the season, even earning a flattering comparison to Season 3 winner Fantasia Barrino from Keke Palmer, who’d tearfully declared Keyla had an “ancestral” voice.
Jordan’s path to “Idol” success started with a fortuitous encounter at a concert with Season 23 winner Jamal Roberts, the singer explained during his audition in Episode 3. He also earned praise from Season 3 finalist Jennifer Hudson, one of the show’s most successful alumni, prior to his “Idol” journey when the EGOT winner commented on one of his videos on social media.
As the 27-year-old worship director from Tennessee advanced in the competition, he “finally found what I’m looking for,” he declared in Episode 9, adding, “I’ve found my passion.”
He earned praise from the judges for putting a unique spin on each song and showcasing an impressive range, but perhaps the most most enthusiastic response came from original “Idol” judge Paula Abdul.
“This was a master-class. This was a Grammys duet performance,” a weepy Abdul told Jordan and Elliott Yamin after they sang “A Song For You” in the penultimate episode of the season.
